Tuesday, 21 April 2015

Dear Jamelia...I don't know if you realise it, but there have been fat women around for very many years. As a 32 year old woman, I grew up as a chubby child and a fat teenager. Even those older than me, very many generations before me have been fat. You may or may not agree that fat people are healthy and you may assume that this 'epidemic' needs to be cured, but surely you have to agree that fat people are just that, people.

Let me assure you that I have been fat for a very long time - for almost as long as I can remember. Long before there were plus-size fashion blogs to read and long, long before there were options outside of Evans when it came to clothes to wear on my body. This lack of inspiration and clothing options did not make we want to be thin. Instead, it made me a fat girl stuck in a body wearing clothes that did not make my heart sing or my mind happy.

It saddens me that someone in your inspirational position could almost pray for someone's unhappiness. The fact that you WANT someone to feel uncomfortable whilst they are clothes shopping sickens me. If you think that the fact someone wears clothing a couple of sizes 'too big' makes them the right kind of victim to shame and bully then your position as a TV presenter makes me sad. You speak to a nation of people every lunch time and you have the power to do such good. Today you choose to tell people that fat people should be made to feel uncomfortable when they are clothes shopping - what type of person does that?

I understand if you do not want to be fat. I even understand if you are baffled by my weight and how I could possibly be happy in the skin I am in. I even get that you could feel as though something should be done about the health of our nation. What I do not understand is the call to arms to ask fashion retailers to shame us. If you feel that as a fat woman denying me the right to go shopping on the high street with my friends is going to make me thin you are mistaken. All it does is make me a fat, unhappy person rather than one that is happy and strives for better. As a fat women I work hard and I need clothes to wear to work - if you feel that I should be SHAMED when I walk into a store to buy them then I feel you must be a very narrow-minded individual. Why should I be made to feel uncomfortable when I go out to stores to spend my hard earned money on clothing for my body?

I saw on Twitter that you have been supporting the #SelfieEsteem campaign put on by Good Morning Britain. This is all about teaching people to love their reflection and what they see when they take a photo. 4 days later you are saying that fat people should be made to feel ashamed when they shop for clothes - how exactly do you think that is going to affect peoples self esteem? You can't pretend to battle the issue of negative self esteem whilst you are one of the people who are part of the problem!

I hope that you look back on what you said and realise that the notions you are asking for are misguided. I promise you that fat people have been around for far longer than plus size fashion stores. I also promise you that throughout years of body shaming and fat bullying our nation is still overweight. Perhaps it is time to take a different approach? You are a strong, independent woman and I hope one day you find the power to bring up other women (no matter their dress size) rather than bring them down.Debz xx

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